laass



4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

E. LAASS 8v G. W. HEY.

MAIL STAMPING APPARATUS. No. 388,366. rPa'mmed Aug. 21, 1888.

MAM

WWA/55555 E 1/@Ru %l 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

E. LAASS 8v G. W. HEY.

MAIL STAMPING APPARATUS. No. 388,366. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS N. PETERS. mw'umognpher, wzunngiw D C.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets--Sheet 4. E. LAASS 8u G. W. HEY.

MAIL STAMPING APPARATUS.

N0. 388,366. Patented Aug. 21,1888.

W/TNE5555= /N VEA/TR- N. Pains, man-mmm. wuhmgw. 0.o.

EMIL LAASS AND GEORGE V. HEY, OF SYRAOUSE, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TII COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

E INTERNATIONAL POSTAL SUPPLY MAIL-STAMPING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters P .Application tiled June 2, 1884. Serial No. 133,493.

To LEZ whom it muy concern.'

Be it known that we, Emir Llmss and GEORGE W. HEY, ol' Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mail Stamping Apparatus, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to improvements in stamping apparatus of the character set forth and fully described in our application for Letters Patent filed February 26, 18871:, patented May 4, 1886, No. 341,380; and it has for its obi 5 ject the production ofan apparatus with which letters and mail-matter generally may be automatically stamped while the said letters or mail-matter are in transit on a letter-supporting bed, over which the aforesaid mail-matter 2o is moved, and the invention consists, essentially, in the combination, with the letter-supporting feed-bed, of a stamp normally out of the path of movementof the mail-matter and a stamp tripper or releaser normally in said path.

It consists, also, in the combination ofan oscillating frame carrying a marking-roller, a lever provided with a catch for engaging the oscillating frame and extending into the path 3o of the moving mail-matter; and it furthermore consists of the detail construction and arrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the example of our invention herein illustrated, which we shall now describe, we have selected a convenient and compact arrangement for the desired purpose, in the drawings of Which- Figure 1 is a top plan view, the carrier-belt being arranged with its transverse plane vertical. Fig. 2 is an end View looking toward the feed end or in the direction of the travel of the carrier. Fig.3 isa side elevation looking 45 from the carrier. Pig. 4 is a horizontal section with some of the parts in elevation, the sectiolrlinc being marked X X in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan on a reduced scale, illustrating the arrangement of duplicate sets of the stamping 5o mechanism placed reversely in relation to cach atent No. 388,366, dated August 21, 188?.

(Yo model.)

other, so that letters may be treated without prearrangement. Fig. (i is an enlarged detail of the stamping-roller and its adjacent parts. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of an envelope. Fig. 8 is a section on the line z z of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a plan View of the marking or stamping apparatus, illustrating modifications of the mechanism for transmitting niotion from the selecting devices to the marking or stamping mechanism. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a modification of the selecting devices. Figs. 11 and 12 are respectively enlarged side and end views of the same, and Fig. 13 is an inverted plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures, the letter A represents a bed for supporting the letter to be stamped or marked. Upon this bed the stamping apparatus is mounted, and the bed constitutes a back or abutment, against which the stamp acts. In this exemplitication of our invention we employ a carrier, B, consisting of an endless belt running over rollers O O. This carrier serves, in connection with suitable feeding mechanism, which it is unnecessary to describe here, to carry the letters to the stamps on the letten supporting bed.

rPhe stamping apparatus consists of a main frame, E, which carries the essential operating elements of the invention. The frame E is secured on the supporting bed A in any suitable manner, so as to retain its relative pd sition to the bed and carrier, substantially as shown; and to the end that it may accommo date the differentsizcd letters which pass the stamping mechanism on the sumrorting-bed the frame is provided with slots a (.1, in which the journal of the rollers l) have sufficient play for the purpose.

It will be observed that the rollers l) 1) in the frame E come opposite to and in contact with the rollers C C ofthe carrier Il, the endA less belt simply intervening. This arrange ment secures the letter from crumpling or turning up as it runs past the marking apparatus. The stamp or marker consists of a roller, G, provided on its periphery with marking-dies mounted opposite each other. Upon the ends of the roller G knurled disks pro- 10o jecting slightly beyond the periphery of the roller, are secured. These projecting disks constitute flanges which guide the markingdies on the roller-stamp, so that when the roller is depressed on the moving letter the plane on the face of the markingtype is parallel and similar to that of the surface of the moving letter, and therefore an even impression is secured.

Upon the disk of the roller G are secured cams d, shaped, as shown in Figs. 1, G, and 9, with reversed side curves intersecting and terminating in pointed ends, the widest portion of the side curves of the cams coming next to that portion of the periphery of the roller on which the marking-die is placed, and the pointed ends standing, respectively, up and down when the marking-roller is in its normal position out of the path of movement of the letters, as shown by the full lines in Fig. 1. The roller G, with its disks and cams d, is journaled in the oscillating frame H. The frame H is yoke shaped, having slotted side arms, into which the journal of the roller G has a free vertical movement sufficient for the purpose which will be presently described, and said frame H is pivoted in the main frame E, so as to oscillate freely on its pivot. Over the roller G a cap, o, serves to connect the side arms of the frame H, and sustains, also, the releasing-catch, which temporarily restrains the stamping-roller normally out of the path of movement ofthe letters on the supportingbed.

Pins b are secured in the side arms of the frame H in position to rest against the upper inner extremity of the cams d when the roller G is at rest. In the slot g of the frame H, through which protrudcs the journal g of the roller G, we placcaspring, G', upon which the journal g bears. When the roller G turns upon its journal g, the pin b rides up the curved side of the cam d, while the rollerjournal g is depressed on the spring in the slot g until the pin b drops off at the lower extremity of the cam d, thus releasing pressure on the axle g, when the roller G is forced up by the spring G to its normal position out of the path of movement of the letter on the sup. porting-bed.

The object of the vertical movement of the roller G, heretofore mentioned, is to permit the roller to be retracted from contact with the letter after the desired mark has been impressed thereon, and this retraction is effected by the arrangement of the cam on the rollerdisk, the slotted support in the frame H, pin b, and the springeushion.

It is to be observed that at the time the pin b drops off of the cam (l at its lower extremity the position of said cam l is reversed*i. c., it is in readiness ixmnediately to again depress the roller by the contact of the pin b with the reversed curve of the opposite side of the cam. In other words, While the roller G always moves in one direction, the printingdies, mounted opposite to each other, are succes sively brought into action by a hal f-revolution of the roller G, controlled by the reverselycurved cam l and the engaging-pin bin the frame H. As has been explained, the printing-stamp G is sustained in its yoke H so as to be normally Without thc path of movement of the letters as they are moved over the supportingbed. The object of so arranging the roller is to prevent the same from coming in contact with and marking the passing letters, excepting when the right side of the letter is presented, when the stamp-roller is brought into contact with the letter by instrumentalities wh1eh, together with the restraining mechanism, will now be described. The rolleryoke H is pivoted in the main frame E, at s, so as to allow a free oscillation on its pivot. The cap o of the yoke is recessed horizontally, and a curved lever, m, its outer extremity being rectilinear and slotted at my', is provided with a catch or notch, p. This lever, m, is secured adj ustably in a recessed seat, Z, in the outer part of the main frame E, where a free inward thrust is permitted by the movement of the pin l in the slotm. The straight portion of the lever m beyond the notch p sits loosely within the recess in the capplate o of the yoke H, and the curved portion of the lever m, ter. minating in the end m2, projects inward in close proximity to the letter-supporting bed. A spring, n, secured on the frame E, its free end bearing against the slotted end of the lever m, serves to hold thc lever m yieldingly toward the supporting-bed, while a pin, o', inserted transversely through the lever m, rests against the cap-plate o of the yoke H. A spring, q, secured at one end to the frame E, bears with its outer end against the curved back of the lever m and serves to retain the catch 1) in engagement with the capplate 0 of the yoke H. This yieldingly supported lever m, by its catch p, serves to temporarily restrain the roller-stamp G in its normal position while at rest, and the said roller is brought into its operative posi tion automatically by the action tion of the selecting device or devices which engage with the sealed ilaps of the letter envelopes andtransmit motion to thestamp-tripper. The selecting devices consist of mechanical fingers or feelers and are designated by f. They may be of any desired shape. The only requisite is that they be shaped to engage readily with the overlapping edges or sealed flaps ofthe latter envelopes, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 and 10. As illustrated in Fig. l, the selecting devices consist of curved feelers f, yieldingly attached to sliding bars K and projecting rearwardly in close proximity to the letter-bed and its superposed carrier.

Through the medium of the pivoted connections I, to which the bars K, carrying the selecting devices, and bars L, carrying tripping devices, motion is transmitted from the selecting device to the lever mand the rollerstamp is released. The end m2 of the lever m passes through a slot, t', in the trigger-plate L, said trigger-plate being mounted vertically in the IOS) frame E upon a projection in position to permit the end mZ of the lever in to pass through the slot t' and move freely therein. A trigger,

h, is pivoted by the pin hl on the projection to i screwing a small spring on the trigger h to rctain it normally in position with its shoulder l; lying across the slot lt will be apparent that if either selecting device be moved toward the center ofthe machine the pivoted bar I, to which the springhook is connected on the cross-slide L, will move the trigger li, thereby witht'lrawing its shoulder It' from its position across the slot t', and such movement of the trigger disengagcs temporarily the spring-hook on the slide L, which is at rest, andthe spring on the trigger forces the same into engagement again when the said trigger is released from the actuating springhook.

It is to be observed that when the selecting devices, or either of them, engage with the envelopes, as described, the har or bars K slide with the movement of the selecting device toward the center ofthe machine, carrying with it the pivoted bar I, to which it is connected, and the bar L with its spring-hook, thus causing the trigger to oscillate on its pivot and withdrawing the shoulder l; from its contact with the lever in in the slot t'. \Vhen this takes place, the advancing letter comes in contact with the end in? of said lever and carries it along in the slot i. This movement of the lcver m withdraws the catch p l'rom its engagement with the cap-plate o of the roller-yoke 1I, and the roller-yoke ll, by means of springs e, secured in the frame Il), is forced toward the letter-bed until the stamp G comes in contact with the advancing letter. Tile stamp G immediately partakes ot' the movement of the letter' and revolves upon itsjournalg. The cam d and pin b in the yoke II are now brought into action and serve the twofold ofh'ce of depressing the roller in theI slot g', while the printingdie is making its impression, which they do by the pin I) riding up on the surface of the cam d, as previously described, until the pin drops otfof the cam, when the roller (l iinmediately resumes ils normal position ont of the path ot' the moving letter. It is to be understood that the spring (.l' reti-acts the roller ll, as hercinhelore described. \\"hile the pin b is riding up the cam l the roller yoke [I is being lifted by reason ot' the movement ofthe cam against said pin I). This movement ofthe roller-yoke is utilized to reset thc stamp-restraining mechanism, which it accomplishes in the following manner: In the first place,the lever m is lifted away from the supporting-bed by the movement of the yoke H by reason of the pin o coming in contact with the recessed plate o. This movement of the lever m restores it to its normal position, when the pressure of the spring q, which is exerted against its curved back, causes the catch p to engage the catch in the recessed plate o. Immediately when the lever m resumes its normal position the trigger h is impelled by its spring to tly back on its pivot until the shoulder It' rests against and locks the lever m into its position. As has been stated, the springn serves simply as a cushion to yieldingly support the outer or slotted end of the lever m, and the tension of the back spring q must be so regulated that it will force the catch p rcadilyinto engagement with the cap-plate o. A vertical movement or thrust of the lever m is allowed by theslot la and the spring n, and such movementor thrust permits the said lever m to yield away from the advancing letter and allow the latter to pass when the lever m reaches the end of the slot in the trigger-plate It.

The springs c are connected to the rolleryoke H, so as to force the yoke toward the letter-supporting bed. In order to supply ink to the printing-dies we provide a suitable frame, O, pivotcd in an extension in the frame E, with inking-lollers ofthe usual form, as N M, covered with suitable absorbing-pads for distributing the ink, or an inking-ribbon, N', may be used in said frame t). To apply ink freely, an auxiliary frame, l), pivotcd beneath the tramo O, is provided to hold the roller M oft' of the printing-roller G while ink is being applied to the inking device. In the hereinillustrated example of our invention we have described the marking mechanism as arranged with its transverse plane in a vertical position; but it will be understood that this is im material and other arrangements may be made.

rlhe overlapping or sealed edges of the envelopcslorm inclined projecting edges, usually upon the hack tace, as seen in Figs. 7, 8, and l0, which projections are desigated by letter x. \Vheu theenvelopes have edges like those illustrated in Figs. 7 and 10, the selecting devices f, which, as already stated, mechanically feel the surfaces of the passing letter-envelopes, will engage both edges ot the flaps of the envelopes.

In envelopes having other shaped edges, like those ot' ofticial envelopes, in which theineline of one edge is long and gradual and the other edge is abrupt, but one selecting device may engage. Therefore it is desirable that the selecting device shall he so attached to the connecting mechanism which transmits motion to and releases the stamp that said selecting devices may act independently ol' cach other in eifecting the desired end, and the construction herein illustrated and described permits the independent action ot' the selecting devices as well as their combined action when treating an envelope of the kind illustrated.

In specifying our invention thus far We have provided simply for the marking of the letters when exposed to the action of the selecting devices with their backs thereto. If now the face of the envelopes were presented to the action of the selecting devices, no marking would take place, and consequently, it' but one marking mechanism is employed it would be necessary to turn the letter-envelopes in one position-z. e., with their backs toward the stamp or marker. In order to obviate the prearrangement of the letters in this respect we arrange on the letter-supporting bed a duplica-te stamping mechanism of the kind hereinbefore described, with its stamp and selecting devices standing opposite or reversely to those devices in the tirst mechanism. This arrangement is readily permitted by constructing the letter-supporting bed after the plan illustrated and described in our application of February 26, 1884, such letter-bed having reversely-arranged projections extending from the base, forming letter-bearing beds. This arrangement of the duplicate sets of stamping mechanism and the supporting-bed will be readily understood upon referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings, which showsaplan on a reduced scale of the desired arrangement. A carrier must be provided for the second set of marking mechanism and arranged to be driven in the same manner, and the two sets ot' meehanism should be in such proximity to each other so that when a letter issues from the first it is immediately taken by the carrier of the second and forced past the stamp of the second mechanism, after whit-h it is carried by the carrier out upon a conveying belt ora table, as may be found desirable.

The feeding mechanism employed for operating the carrier or carriers may consist of any suitable device or devices, and forms no part of the invention herein described; hence specie description is omitted.

When the two sets of stamping mechanism are employed, since both sides-. e., the back and front-ot' the letter envelope are successively subjected to the action of the mechanical fingers or feelers which constitute the selecting devices, it is apparent that were not the marking stamp temporarily restrained out ofthe path of the moving letter said letter would be marked continuously upon both sides; but at the same time in order to bring the stamp into operation by the engagement of the passing letter with the selecting device it is essential that the selecting device must be normally opposed in the path ot' the advancing letter, so as to collide therewith and engage the overlapping edges, as stated, and the selecting devices must be so arranged as to yield freely vertically to allow the letters to pass readily thereunder in their transit over the supporting-bed. To secure this end, the selecting devices are mounted on springs, as illustrated in the drawings, and as previously dtscribed.

T0 adapt the rollers D to different-sized letters, theirjournals are sustained in the slots a of the frame E by U-shaped springs FF. The construction of the parts and the arrangement of the connecting mechanism for transmitting motion can be greatly modified and changed Without departing from the principle of our invention. As, for example, the mechanical fingers or feelers f, constituting the selecting devices, may be either of the form of pointers f, as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings, or made in the form of shoes or slides having V- shaped edges adapted to run slightly under the edges of the sealed envelopes flaps, as illustrated in Figs. 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the drawings, in which latter case we prefer to hinge the feeler on its support, so as to allow it to rock longitudinally, and thus mount more readily the overlapping edges of the approach ing letter-envelope. So also the catch-lever m may be constructed and connected to-the stamp frame II, as shown in Fig. 9. In this ease the catch-lever nz is thrown out of engagement with the yoke frame H by a supplemental lever passing through the free end of the lever m and operated by a trigger, h, similar to that already described. Said trigger being caused to release the supplemental lever by the movement of the pivoted levers I, incident to the engagement of the selecting devices ff with the edges of the envelopeflaps, the released lever drops upon the moving letter and is thereby drawn along, and thus caused to draw the catch-lever out of engagement with the frame H. The supplemental lever is raised from the letter automatically with the descent of the frame H and markingroller G bythe medium of a walking-beani,\V, pivoted on the frame E and connected at opposite ends respectively with the lever m and supplemental lever. A suitable spring, s', crowds the supplemental lever toward the supporting-bed and imparts to it the requisite pressure to obtain the necessary hold on the moving letter, While a small roller journaled on the frame E slightly in advance of the lever m2 of the supplemental lever prevents the letter from crumpling as it advances to the end of the supplemental lever.

The operation oftheinvention will be readily understood from the description of the invention and of the functions of the various parts, and it is only necessary to call attention tothe fact that the stamping mechanism is normally at restin a set position, and that when the letter is presented the selecting devices mechanically feel its surfaces and engage the overlapping or sealed edges thereof. The movement of the letter while the selecting devices are engaged causes the selecting devices to move toward the center of the stamping apparatus, carrying with them the connections which transmit the motion ofthe selecti ngdeviees to the releasingcatch of the stamp-roller. The stamp-roller when released is forced by its depressing springs onto the letter, and the onward advance of the letter revolves the roller-stamp, causing it to impress the requisite stamp on the letter,while the restraining mechanism is being raised in position to reset the rollerstamp by the contact of the piu b with the cam-surfaces d, as the marking-roller revolves upon itsjournal in impressing or marking the passing letter. In other words, it will be observed that while the contact ot' the selecting device with the moving letter releases and brings into action the marking stamp the operation of impressing the stamp or niark upon the letter is utilized in the manner and with the described means to reset the stamp-rollerand its restraining mechanism, so as to be in readiness to treat the succeeding letter. Ot" course the letter passes through both mechanisms, and the operation accrues to that set with which the sealed edges of the letter and the selecting dcvice or devices engagc,and the letter is marked as stated.

Any suitable marking die or types may be used on the stamp, and any suitable ink or inking arrangement may be used to ink the same.

XVe desire to call attention to the fact that in specifying the printing-roller and the slot y in the frame H and the slot m in the lever m the terms depress the roller,7 free vertical movement in the slot g, and free vertical thrust in the slot im have been employed in referring tothe functions and operations ofthe recited parts. rlhese expressions are to be understood as to mean that the roller G is moved or forced toward the letter-support ing bed, and that its journal f/ moves freely toward and lrom the supporting-bed in the slot Q',and the lever m has a free thrust or movement toward and from the lcttersupporting bed in the slot m' wherever the terms occur throughout the specification.

\Ve do not claim, broadly the. combination with a letter-supporting feed'bcd, of a movably-supported markingroller held intermittently in the letter-path; neither do we claim, broadly, the combinatiomwith a letter-feed, of a markingroller and a contact-finger connected to operate the marking-roller Without stopping the letter to control the registry of the marking-die thereon, the same forming the subjectmatter of a separate pending application in favor of George \V, Hey; but

l. In a machine for stamping or marking mail-matter, the combination, with the supporting-feed bed, ofa stamp normally out of the path of movement of the mail-matter, and a stamp tripper or releaser normally in said path.

2. In a machine for marking mail-matter, the combination of an oscillating frame carrying a marking-roller, andalever provided with a catch for engaging the oscillating frame and extending into the path of the moving mailmatter.

3. In a machine for marking or stamping mail-matter, the combination, with a supporting feed-bed, of a slamp normally out of the path ofthe movement of the Inail-matter, and a stamp tripper or releaser normally in said path and opposite the letter-bed, substantially as speciiied.

4. The frame H, having cap o and pin b, the catch-lever m, having catch p and pin 0, the trigger h, having the shoulder k, the roller G. and spring G', combined with the means f, and connections, substantially as described, for tripping the trigger, and with the cam d, for returning the frame II to the control of the trigger, as set forth.

5. The combination, with the marking-roller and a movable frame supporting said roller, of cams and stud-pins connected, respectively, to said parts and in cont-act with each other to raise the frame automatically with the rotation of the roller, and springs bearing on the roller-journalto force the roller oit1 from the letter-bed when the frame is raised as aforesaid, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto signed our names and affixed our seals, in the presence of two attesting Witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 12th day of May, 1884.

EMIL LAASS. GEORGE V. HEY. 

